Debt Free Wedding

04/02/2017

A wedding should be about you both, being united as one & some of the closest people in your lives should be there to see it. It’s easy to get caught up in a nuptial frenzy. At every turn, family members, friends, experts, magazines, blogs and Pinterest are there to offer inspiration and instill panic. “You can’t possibly get married without a dress from Kleinfeld, a DJ, champagne toast, church full of flowers, filet mignon, full attended bar, at the penthouse of the largest hotel overlooking the city“. Of course you can. It really comes down to how many people you want to witness your Big Day. It makes a ceremony even more meaningful, when the people witnessing it really give a darn about you both. Ask yourself – who are the people who have always been and will always be part of our lives? THEY. . are the perfect guests in your wedding.

Have an Intimate Wedding

This is probably the best idea for planning your wedding without robbing a bank. First, a wedding ceremony is where two people are ritually or legally united as one. And, you want to have those who truly love You both to share in your joy on that day. Instead of being fixated on the details of the church, venue and food for the 200+ people you want to invite. You can have the ceremony anywhere at very little cost, but the Reception is where the bulk of the money is spent. Think of those 20 loved ones who want to see you get married. The customary rule is – if you have not seen or spoke to someone in the past 18 months, then you should not invite them to your wedding. Even if it is your Grand Aunt Sophie.

Wedding Reception Venue
Just the site for the wedding reception can easily cost you $5,000 plus. How about finding a Free location. . .

CHURCH – Sometimes, it is possible to have the reception Free in the church grounds if you are a parishioner. A small donation would be at your own discretion.

BACKYARD – This is the first location people think of to be as economical as possible when it comes to their wedding. If you have a nice enough, good-sized backyard for the number of guests you want, then you might as well take that. Or, ask a friend (or a friend’s friend’s friend) who owns the perfect backyard to allow you to have your wedding reception there. What is good about a backyard wedding? First, you can customize it the way you want. If you are opting for a jungle-themed wedding, just prop in some plants and voila! Second and more important reason why this works is that it is Free. You will need a cleaning crew to clean up after the event like your Cousins Sally & Suzy.

PARK – There are many parks that allows gatherings without any fee (Check with your local cities). There will be no privacy, but a lake on one side and a beautifully maintained garden in the other are nice compromises. A picnic-themed wedding is also a great idea.

BEACH – There are beaches which are open to the public. Try to find a nice, secluded-enough spot to hold your reception in. Be careful about having alcohol, it is usually Not allowed. Do your research and find a venue that is Free to use.

UNUSUAL LOCATION – If you would like to hold your reception in the place where you both met, visit the location and speak to the owners. Let’s say you met in the Target parking lot. . . Pitch your idea to the manager of the store and ask them for their input.

Have Free Food.

A potluck wedding may not seem to be mainstream, but people who are budget conscious do this. Other couples have also done this for generations and it is embedded in many cultures. Everyone’s family at one point in their lives, all ate the delicious dishes created by a family member at the barbecue, Thanksgiving dinner, or Birthday celebrations and those who ate LOVED EVERY SINGLE BITE. Caterers are the biggest cost in weddings and could easily cost you $10,000 for a 200 guests party.

Free Cake.If your mother-in-law knows how to bake delicious home made cakes, just ask her to make one for your wedding. It may not be the cake in the magazines but it would be perfect for your wedding.

Free Wedding Dress. Borrow or DIY a bridal gown. Better yet, have your Aunt Sue who loves to sew, help you make a dress. Many brides opt for a cocktail dress that is easily found at the mall and they can wear it to many functions afterwards.

Free Photographer. A professional photographer can easily cost you around $800 – $3,000. Now that is a waste of good money. As photographers run their own business, you should contact them and barter the services. Give them permission to use your wedding to advertise their business and only pay for the prints you want. That is a win-win situation. If that does not work out, try to look for a budding photographer in your family or perhaps, that friend of yours who just got a good camera and loves to take photos. You may want to see a sample first.

Have a Free DJ.The question is: Do you need a DJ? They cost around $500. Disc Jockeys play music; music you can find on iTunes. There you have it, fellow brides! Your iPod is the answer. Just hook em up to a loudspeaker and ask another guest to serve as a DJ in your wedding.

Have a Stock the Bar Party. Throw a party at your house the night before and have your friends and family “stock the Bar”. Then use the haul for your wedding the next day.

Make you own Bouquet. One way is to harvest newly bloomed flowers from your own backyard or someone else’s. However, if you cannot find suitable buds, go to your farmers market or swap shop, buy some fresh flowers and ribbons. If this is not an option try artificial flowers for your DIY bouquet.Free Wedding Invitations. There are tons of free DIY crafts online that demonstrate how to create incredibly cheap wedding invitations. There are also printable and customizable ones. The only thing you have to spend on is the paper and ink. A totally Free invite is a written email or conversation to each guest in person.

So many Brides want it all & at any cost for this one special day, and they should have it. But, when you look at spending $40,000 for a one day event it must be guilt free. You cannot worry about the money the day after and have buyers remorse for months. I have been helping brides for years and been on both side of the spending curve. I have seen some fabulous Budget weddings and I have been there for the Extravagant gorgeous weddings. All the Brides were beautiful and their days were so very special. You have to know what you want before you announce to the world that you are getting married. Do you want to buy a house or spend the 40 grand on a wedding? Yes. . I know, you have been dreaming about this day since you were 7, but back then you did not know the value of a Dollar and now you do. Not all of these budget tips are totally FREE. Some have a minimum cost for materials, but you will not have to take out a loan or beg Uncle Sy to pay for the caterer. Just about every Bride wants the perfect dress and will not wear a used dress. They will spend thousands for a gorgeous wedding gown, and if that is what you desire. Just use the lay-away plan and you can budget yourself. Have a Fantabulous Debt Free Wedding!

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6 Comments

This such a wonderful post. Real wedding tips for real people. The parents are the ones who love to invite people that they have not heard from in years. I believe that only significant people should be at your wedding. And I love the locations you mentioned. They all make sense.